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Gramling State 31, Alabama A&M 19Lut Williams GSU sophomore quarterback Bruce Eugene completed 28 of 59 passes for 413 yards and three second half scores, overcoming two first half interceptions to lead the Tigers to victory. Eugene, the SWAC offensive player of the year, was named Grambling's offensive most valuable player for the game. Just as important for the Tigers was their ability to control the Bulldogs' league-best defense, especially defensive end Robert Mathis, who led the nation in sacks (20) en route to earning the SWAC defensive player of the year honor. Grambling left tackle Brandon "Bruiser" James held Mathis without a sack by for only the second time this season. The other was in a 23-13 Grambling victory on Sept. 14. "This is probably the greatest championship that we've had since I've been here," said Grambling head coach Doug Williams, who has re-established Tiger dominance in the SWAC after taking over from coaching legend Eddie Robinson five years ago. Willams is already looking to the future. "The last two championships we knew the team that what we had. Going into the season this year, we only had seven starters (returning), two on offense and five on defense. We had a team that was basically unknown. A lot of people look at us and think that we're an old team but we only lose about ten seniors and only six of them are starters. So we'll be pretty good next year." A crowd of 23,727, most on the A&M side of the field, braved cold windy conditions at historic Legion Field and watched the Tigers unleash their vaunted air attack after the Bulldogs went ahead 11-10 on a Jeremiah Bonds 38-yard scoring run with 1:54 left in the third period and Rashard Cylar's 30-yard field goal less than four minutes into the final stanza. Eugene needed just five plays and one minute and 47 seconds to put Grambling back in control. He completed four of five passes to cover 67 yards with wide receiver Tramon Douglas hauling in a 23-yard slant for the score. Douglas then caught the two-point conversion on a similar pattern to give the Tigers a 18-11 lead with 10:18 left. But the Bulldogs weren't through. After the kickoff, quarterback Johnny Keith's 59-yard pass to Walter Shearles set them up at the Grambling 20. Four plays later Keith hit RB Jeremiah Bonds on a screen pass in the left flat that he carried into the end zone to bring the Bulldogs to within 18-17 with 8:09 left. But the PAT attempt by Cylar to tie the game was blocked after a low snap from center. Again, Eugene needed little time to respond, getting the Tigers to paydirt in only three plays. He hit Douglas on a 50-yard fly-pattern to get the ball down to the A&M 16 and two plays later connected with Thyron Anderson from 21 yards out for the TD. Brian Morgan's PAT extended the lead to 25-17 with 6:56 on the clock. After an exchange of punts, A&M drove to the Grambling four-yard line before being turned away on a fourth down running play with 1:58 to play. Grambling ran the clock down to 19 seconds before taking a safety to bring the Bulldogs within 25-19. Williams elected to punt rather than kickoff and Nicholas Wells returned it to the A&M 49 with ten seconds left. On the final play of the game, Keith's desperation pass was intercepted by Chris Brown who returned it 70 yards to create the final margin. Williams, who as a star quarterback also won three straight SWAC championships at Grambling from 1974-77 before going on to a stellar career in the NFL, said winning as a coach is no different. "I think it's better anytime you win it, no matter how you win it. It's good to have done it as a player and it's great to have done it as a coach Ð to watch these young guys get the same thing done." "I thought it was a great ballgame," said first-year A&M head coach Anthony Jones. "It was what I anticipated. I thought we had two teams who felt like they deserved to win. They traded punches. Towards the end of the ballgame they made a few more plays than we could make and that was the difference." Eugene threw for 236 first half yards but was victimized by the two picks and a fumble by converted defensive tackle Lennard Patton on a running play at the A&M 3. Morgan's 23-yard field goal with :49 left in the first period were the only first half points. A&M struggled on offense throughout the game. Alternating quarterbacks Keith and Tim Robinson split four interceptions and together completed just eight of 27 passes for 153 yards. Douglas and Anderson, both finished with over 100 receiving yards. Douglas had five receptions for 111 yards with his two scores while Anderson hag 12 catches for 183 yards and a touchdown.
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